Window and blind construction



Jan. 20, 1948. K, w, BROWNIN 2,434,786

WINDOW AND BLIND CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 4, 1944 e Sheets-Sheet 1gwuemim Jan. 20, 1948., K. w. BROWNING WINDOW AND BLIND CONSTRUCTIONFiled Dec. 4, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 II L Jan. 20, 1948. K. w. BROWNINGWINDOW AND BLIND CONSTRUCTION 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 4, 1944Jan.'20, 1948. a K. w. BROWNING WINDOW AND BLIND L'ONSTRUCTION 6Sheets-Shet Filed 1944 Q. Q Q

Jan. 20, 1948.

K. W. BROWNING .WINDOW AND BLIND CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 4, 1944 6Sheets-Sheet 5 d W N l Jan. 20, 1948. w, BROWNING 2,434,786

WINDOW AND BLIND CONSTRU CTION Filed Dec. 4, 1944 e Sheets-Sheet ePatented Jan. 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDOW AND BLINDCONSTRUCTION Kenneth W. Browning, Murray, Utah Application December 4,1944, Serial No. 566,472

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a window and blind construction, and it hasreference particularly to a blind generally of the Venetian blind type.

One object of the invention is to provide a window and blindconstruction in which the blind is sealed within a space'provided in thewindow sash or frame between two parallel panes of translucent andpreferably transparent material. operating means for raising andlowering the blind and for adjusting the angular position of the louversor slats thereof extending without the frame or sash for manualactuation.

Another object is to provide a blind generally of the Venetian'blindtype in which a single control means is provided for raising andlowering the blind and for adjusting the louvers or slats thereof todesired angular position.

A further object is to provide a blind of the Venetian blind type whichis of relativelysimple and cheap construction but capable oflong andeflicient service, and one which, when installed within the space of adouble-paned window frame or sash, may be easily and cheaply repaired inthe event any of its louvers or slats become damaged or carried away bya missile or the like hurled through the window.

A still further object is to providea blind of the Venetian blind typein which the louvers will nest at the bottom of the window openinginstead of at the top thereof, thus especially adapting the blind of theinvention to installation in the space of a double-paned window, thebottom rail of which is usually deeper than the top rail and thus morecommodious.

The invention comprises a window and blind construction preferablyincluding a frame or sash of double-paned type providing a space withinwhich is mounted a Venetian blind, this blind,

regardless of its preferred mounting, having structural and operatingcharacteristics of a form modified from the conventional, all as will beexplained more fully hereinafter and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated,

Fig. 1 is an inside front elevation of a Window and blind constructionin accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation of the window andblind viewed as in Fig. 1,

v Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4+4 of Fig. 3,

looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig.3, looking in the directionof the arrows,

Fig.6 is a top plan view showing the details of the top louver or slatof the blind,

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the left end of the louver or slat ofFig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6, looking in thedirection of the arrows,

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the right end of the louver orslat ofFig. 6, w 7 Fig. 10 is a section taken on line l0l0 of Fig. 6, lookingin the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 11 is a top-planvievv of one'of the intermediate louvers or slatsof the blind,

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of the right-hand end of thelouver next to the top louver of Fig. 6, showing a portion cutaway toaccommodate the cam-contacting lug of the top louver when the louvers ofthe blind are angularly adjusted to closed position, a

Fig. 13 is an end view of the louver or slat of Fig. 11, i Fig. 14 is afragmentary edge view of the righthand end portion of the louver or slatof Fig. 11,

Figs. 15, 16, 17 and 18 are fragmentary schematic views illustrating theoperation of the blind.

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary top plan view of one of the slats or louvers [4similar to Fig. 11 but showing the tapes infolded thereupon as when theblind is collapsed, and

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary end view of the blind partially collapsed andshowing the housing of the channel in section.

The device comprises a window sash or frame having a top rail I, abottom rail 2 and stiles 3 and 4 respectively, preferably formed fromsheet metal appropriately shaped and furnished with rabbets 5 toremovably and replaceably receive spaced inner and outer panes 6 and 1of translucent, and preferably transparent, material, such as glass.

The space 8 thus formed within the frame or sash is preferablyhermetically sealed, and may be filled with a dehydr'ated'gas throughopenings 9 and I0 closed and sealed by screws II and I2, respectively,and the provision of the two openings 9 and H) makes possiblereplenishment of the gas inthe space without exhausting such space byreason'of the fact that as clean, dry gas is introduced through oneopening, contaminated gas may be emitted through the other. i

The blind which, as hereinbefore stated, is of modified Venetian blindtype, is mounted within this space which is sealed and preferably gasfilled, and the hollow construction of the rails and stiles i, 2, 3 and4, respectively, provides ample room to accommodate the operatingmechanism associated with the louvers or slats of the blind and concealit from view.

Moreover, the capacious interior of the bottom rail 2 provides a spacefor housing and concealing the nested louvers or slats of the blind whenin open condition, as will be referred to hereinafter.

The blind proper comprises a top or actuating louver or slat l3,intermediate louvers r slats l4 and a bottom louver Or slat l5, and allof the louvers or slats are connected by substantially conventionalladder tapes including the inside and outside longitudinal tapes l6 and11, respectively, and the cross tapes l8. The longitudinal tapes l6 andH are joined, preferably by overlapping, upon the upper surfaces of theleft-hand and right-hand terminal members 19 and 25, respectively, ofthe top or actuating louver l3 and secure;y fastened thereto by clampingmeans including the screws 2! and clamping plates 22 and 23, and arethus relatively adjustable to properly align the several suspendedlouvers 0r slats. The cross tapes l8 are secured to the intermediate andbottom louvers or slats l4 and I by rivets 24 the heads of which willdisengage from the tapes without injury thereto in case any of thelouvers or slats arebroken and carried away.'

But other fastening means than rivets may be used so long as the samefunction is served.

Preferably the longitudinal tapes are creased intermediate the severallouvers or slats so that when and as the blind is lowered they will foldfiat alternately inwardly between the louvers or slats, and outwardlytherefrom into the hollow space in the frame, as indicated schematicallyin Fig. 18.

Attached to the terminal members l9 and 20 by pins 25 which pass througheyes 26 and are provided with latching grooves 21 engaging latch means(not shown) in recesses 28 to prevent their withdrawal, and which areheld fixed by the tape clamping means 2|, 22, 23 are blind operatingcords or cables 29 and 30, respectively, secured in cable clamps 3|pivoted on the outer ends of the pins 25.

The cord or cable 29 passes upwardly over a pul.ey 32 at the stile 3 andthrough a guide 53 to a pulley 34 at the opposite stile 4 of the sash orframe. The cord or cable 35 passes upwardly over a pulley 35 at theadjacent stile 4. The cords or cables 29 and 35 are led downwardly fromtheir respective pulleys 34 and 35 over a guide 36 (Fig. 5) and theirends are jointly connected with an actuating cord or cable 31 passedbeneath a guide pulley 38 and led therefrom to a winding drum 39 (Figs.3 and 4) operatively connected by a resilient friction clutch 40, or thelike, through a shaft 4! packed by a gland 42 with an operating crank 43arranged exteriorly of the window frame or sash. The crank 43 isprovided with a brake drum 44 engaged by a brake band 45 having a fixedend 46 and an adjustable end 41 secured to a lever 43 normally biased bya hairpin or other spring 45 to position to hold the brake band 45 inbraking engagement with the drum (see Fig. 3).

By this arrangement the blind may be held at any desired height and withits louvers or slats in any appropriate angular adjustment by a singleoperating means afiorded by the crank 43, as will be explainedhereinafter, and the blind may be lowered quickly by downward pressureapplied 4 to the outer end of the lever 48 to release the brake 44-45.

Moreover, due to the provision of the friction drive means for thewinding drum 39, afforded by the clutch 40, any damage to the blindandits operating mechanism which might be occasioned by excessivewinding or unwinding of the actuating cable 3'! will be avoided.

Two types of means for accomplishing tilting movement for angularadjustment of the louvers or slats are provided. These means may beemployed for conjoint operation, as shown in the drawings, or either maybe used separately, as desired.

One of the means just referred to comprises actuating lugs 50 laterallycfistanding from the terminal members l5 and 20 adapted to engage cammembers 5| fixed upon the window frame or sash.

The other means comprises extensions 52 of the outer longitudinal tapes11 attached to the outwardly projecting ends of lever arms 53 carried bythe bottom louver or slat I5 and anchored to the frame or sash by clips54 or other appropriate fastening means.

It is to be noted that the pivot pins 25 have their common axis ofisetfrom the gravitational center of the top louver or slat l3, and hencewhen the lugs 50 are not in contact with the cam members 5| and notension is on the extensions 52 of the tapes H, or either where thesemeans are separately used, the louvers or slats will assume an angularadjustment of approximately 45, as shown in Fig. 15, such adjustmentbeing limited by means of the stops 55 of the terminal members abuttingagainst the cord or cable clamps 3 I.

When the lugs 50 engage the cam members 5! and/or the extensions 52 ofthe tapes H are put under tension during raising of the blind, thelouvers or slats will gradually be adjusted from the angular 45 positionshown in Fig. 15 to the full open position shown in Figs. 1 to 5, and asraising of the blind continues the cooperation of the lugs 50 with thesurfaces of the cam members 5| will adjust the angular position of thelouvers or slats from the full open position to some angular positionbetween full open and completely closed, as shown in Figs. 16 and 17.

It will be seen that raising of the blind is limited by abutment of thecord or cable clamps 3! against fixed stop members 56 (Figs. 3, 4'and5), and that when the blind is in fully closed condition the pulley 32is received within a recess 51 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8) formed in the terminalmember I9. Also, the louver or slat l4 adjacent to the top or actuatinglouver or slat I3 is cut away at its ends as shown at 58, Fig. 12, topermit it to clear the lugs 50.

All of the louvers or slats l3, l4 and I5 have the tapes set in portionsof reduced width adjacent to their ends. Ordinarily, the verticaldistance between the louvers of blinds of this general type is less thanthe width of the individual louvers in order to provide the necessaryoverlap of the louvers when the blind is closed. This results in foldingof the tapes between the louvers and outside of their edges in such amanner that the lateral space between the louvers is not utilized to thefullest extent to accommodate the infolded tapes, and the outfoldedtapes extend unduly laterally of the louvers. By providing the louverswith the portions of reduced width for attachment of the tapes, whichnarrow the louvers at these portions to a width substantially equal tothe normal vertical separation of the louvers, substantially the fulllateral width of the louvers may be utilized to accommodate the infoldedtapes, and the outfolded tapes will not extend outwardly as far as isnow customary, thus making for a more compact arrangement of the blindwhen collapsed, and better accommodating it for reception within theconfines of the window frame. This will be better understood byreference to Figs. 19 and 20.

All of the louvers or slats are provided also with angularly offset lipmembers 59, and these lip members on the louvers or slats I l-and l havestops 60, whereby the tapes l6 and H are not only caused to extend outof contact with the louvers or slats when in closed position, as shownin Fig. 17, but are prevented from being pinched between the louvers orslats when in collapsed or lowered nested condition. Moreover,

the lip members 59 provide for more accurate control of the angularadjustment of the louvers or slats than would be possible were theyomitted.

Also, it will be noted that, due to the provision of the lip members 59,when the louvers are in fully closed condition (Fig. 17), the then loweredge of each louver is in contact with the surface of the next loweradjacent louver, thus eliminating the gaps between adjacent louversordinarily occurring in conventional Venetian blinds and providing formore adequate exclusion of light.

Regardless of whether the means 59-5! or 5253 are employed eparately, orare combined as illustrated in the drawings, it will be apparent that,in combination with the actuating mechanism including the cords orcables 29, 30 and 31, and the pulleys and winding drums 32, 34, 35, 38and 39, they make possible full operation of the blind, not only inraising and lowering, but in angular adjustment of its louvers or slats,by means of a single actuating member, the crank 43, thus materiallysimplifying the construction, installation and operation of the blind.

In order to prevent rattling of the blind, and to guard against wear ordefacement of the louvers during operation and use, end guides 6| andedge guides 62, made of any suitable resilient, durable material, areprovided upon the sash or frame, as shown.

The louvers or slats may be made of any appropriate material, and theirsurfaces may be treated to enhance their light and heat reflectivecharacteristics, or otherwise, as desired.

When the blind is open, that is to say when it is lowered, all of thelouvers or slat except the upper surface of the top or actuating louverl3 are nested in and concealed by the bottom rail 2 of the frame orsash.

It will be appreciated, also, that the entire window is of simple andpractical design, and that it occupies less space and is more efiicientthan the combination of a conventional Venetian blind and a doubleglazed window.

Various changes and modifications are considered to be within theprinciple of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a window blind of the Venetian blind type, a plurality ofsubstantially similar louvers, means for raising and lowering saidblind, means for angularly adjusting said louvers, and an operatingmember, both of said means being responsive to actuation of saidoperating member.

2. In a window blind of the Venetian blind type, a plurality ofsubstantially similar louvers,

and means for raising and lowering the blind and for angularly adjustingthe louvers thereof, including separate cable means connected with theuppermost of said louvers adjacent to its opposite ends and servingthrough appropriate ladder tapes to suspend said blind with its louversin spaced relation and in similar angular adjustment, means associatedwith one of the louvers and operable adjacent to one limit of movementof said blind to progressively alter the angular adjustment of thelouvers, and means for imparting similar longitudinal movementsimultaneously to said separate cable means.

3. In a window blind as claimed in claim 2, a winding drum included inthe means for imparting similar longitudinal movement simultaneously tosaid cable means, an operating shaft for said drum, and a frictionclutch between said drum and shaft. said clutch serving to preventrotation of said drum by said shaft in excess of that requisite to fullyraise and angularly adjust said blind, whereby injury of said blind byover-actuation of said shaft will be prevented.

4. In a window blind of the Venetian blind type, a plurality ofsubstantially similar louvers, mean for raising and lowering said blind,and means carried by one of said louvers, fixed means overlappable byand engaging with said carried means whereby, upon movement of the blindduring raising and lowering, the louvers thereof will be angularlyadjusted.

5. A window blind as claimed in claim 4, in which the means carried bysaid louver include an offstanding lug and the fixed means is a cammember with which said lug engages and over the surface of which it maybe moved as the blind is raised and lowered.

6. A window blind as claimed in claim 4, in which the means forangularly adjusting the louvers includes means fixed to one of saidlouvers and to the Window frame, said means adapted as said blind israised and lowered to be a1ter nately tautened and slacked to exert avaried pull upon said louver.

7. A window blind as claimed in claim 4, in Which the means forangularly adjusting the louvers includes lever means fixed to one ofsaid louvers and flexible link means fixed to said lever and to thewindow frame, said link means adapted as said blind is raised andlowered to be alternately tautened and slacked to exert a varied pullupon said louver.

8. A window blind as claimed in claim 4, in which the means forangularly adjusting the louvers includes lever means fixed to andlaterally oifstanding from one of said louvers and flexible link meansfixed to said lever and to the window frame, said link means adapted assaid blind is raised and lowered to be alternately tautened and slackedto exert a varied pull upon said louver.

9. In a window blind of the Venetian blind type, a plurality ofsubstantially similar louvers, ladder tapes for relatively suspendingsaid louvers in predetermined relation, and means laterally offstandingfrom the edges of said louvers and engaging said tapes for holding thetapes in predetermined relation to said louvers.

10. In a window blind of the Venetian blind type, a plurality ofsubstantially similar louvers including an actuating louver arranged atthe top of said blind, operating means connected with said actuatinglouver and functioning to raise and lower the same and to angularlyadjust it upon its longitudinal axis, and ladder tapes carried by saidactuating louver and by which the other louvers are carried andsuspended therefrom and angularly adjusted in parallelism therewith.

11. In a combined window and blind of the Venetian blind type, a windowframe having a chamber in its bottom rail, a plurality of substantiallysimilar louvers constituting said blind and suspended within said framefor raising and lowering movement, said blind when lowered having itslouvers confined within the chamber of said bottom rail.

12. In a combined window and blind construction, a window frame havinghollow rails and stiles, a blind arranged within the confines of saidframe and including a plurality of substantially similar louvers andoperating means for suspending and raising and lowering said blind andfor angularly adjusting the louvers thereof, said operating means beingconfined within said hollow rails and stiles and thereby concealed fromview.

13. In a window blind of Venetian blind typ a plurality of louversinterconnected by ladder tapes including longitudinal tapes applied tothe louvers adjacent to their ends, the louvers being of less width atthose portions where the tapes are connected to them than throughout themajor portion of their length, whereby compact folding of the tapes withrespect to the width of the louvers is made possible.

14. A window and blind construction, including a window frame providinga space for receiving and confining a blind of Venetian blind type, saidblind including a plurality of louvers interconnected by ladder tapesincluding longitudinal tapes applied to the louvers adjacent to theirends and located within channels in the stiles of the frame, the louversbeing of less width at those portions where the tapes are connected tothem than throughout the major portion of their length and furnishing aspace between the slats and channels, thereby providing for compactfolding of the tapes with respect to the louvers and accommodating theends of the louvers and their folded tapes to the channels of saidstiles.

15. A window and blind construction, including a window frame providinga space for receiving and confining a blind of Venetian blind type, saidblind including a plurality of louvers and means for suspending same inadjustable arrangement, the window frame being provided with means forguiding and cushioning the end portions of said louvers to preventrattling and wear thereof while at rest and during their adjustmentrelatively to said frame.

KENNETH W. BROWNING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,149,301 Lawson Mar. '7, 19392,179,763 Smolowitz Nov. 14, 1939

